Take Me To The Water

Harpist Ashley Jackson fuses music and storytelling in Take Me to the Water, a soulful exploration of spirituals, Jackson's own arrangements of iconic works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Alice Coltrane, and a breathtaking interpretation of Debussy's "Danse Sacrée." Replenishing and immersive, Take Me to the Water celebrates the transportive nature of water, and of the rivers that unite us, conjuring a radiant vision of a world anchored by hope and brighter days.

Take Me To The Water is out now on Decca Records US.

A woman with long braided hair standing in a body of water surrounded by greenery, with her reflection visible in the water.

“Brings Expressive Luminosity To Whatever She Touches.”
—Gramophone

A woman in a pink floral dress sitting on a wooden chair, playing a large harp outdoors with a blue backdrop and green trees in the background.

An avid soloist, chamber musician, and curator, Decca US Recording Artist harpist Ashley Jackson has established herself as a vital musical voice. A professor and Director of Performance Studies at Hunter College, Ashley has performed at Lincoln Center, Big Ears Festival, and Celebrate Brooklyn! Her work has been featured on NPR, WNYC, and MPR, as well as in Essence and PBS Channel 13. Her debut album Ennanga (Bright Shiny Things) garnered worldwide acclaim for its consideration of American music and its roots in Black spirituality. Her follow-up album, Take Me to the Water embraces the transportive heft of the harp, conjuring a radiant vision of a world anchored by hope and brighter days.

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  • A young woman with braided blonde hair in a white dress standing waist-deep in water with a blurred natural background. Text in the top left reads 'Ashley Jackson' and in the top right 'Take me to the Water.'

    Take Me To The Water

    “I found myself playing it over and over again. It almost takes over your body.” -Michel Martin, NPR Morning Edition

    Take Me To The Water is a soulful exploration of original arrangements of spirituals, iconic works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Alice Coltrane, and an exhilarating interpretation of Debussy’s “Danse Sacrée.” Take Me To The Water celebrates the transportive nature of water, and of the rivers that unite us.

    Listen Now
  • Black and white close-up portrait of a woman with textured curly hair, gazing into the camera, standing next to a metallic wall with vertical lines. Text overlay includes 'ENNANGA' and 'ASHLEY JACKSON'.

    Ennanga

    “Ennanga is a gemlike offering precisely because she balances her instrument and its expressive potential against that moral calling, framing each gesture in personal terms.”
    —Nate Chinen for WRTI

    Ennanga explores the musical and spiritual connections among American composers who have redefined the musical landscapes. It features The Harlem Chamber Players and Jackson's new arrangements as well as original music by William Grant Still and Brandee Younger.

    Listen Now

“Water is something that we all need. It sustains us, it gives us life. Take Me to the Water reminds us we have a choice: we can let water be the thing that divides us, or, it can allow us to come together through our shared humanity.”
-Ashley Jackson

Upcoming Events

July 20 @ 10pm

Little Island, Pier55 in Hudson River Park
New York, NY

Emi Ferguson, Ashley Jackson, and Mikael Darmanie
Series: Curated by Cécile McLorin Salvant

Take Me To The Water

Ashley’s original arrangement for solo harp of the American spiritual.

Deep River

Ashley’s transcription of the classic arrangement by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

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